Website Review: LensShopper.com

Here's an online contact lens retailer that brings us contact-wearing newbies and veterans a fresh twist on product selection! It's called LensShopper, and you can access their online store with the link below, or simply search 'lens shopper' on Google.

LensShopper.com

Navigation-friendly tabs, a wide selection of products for various needs, competitive prices and online coupons are a handful of the consumer-friendly features, but a special feature this site has that I haven't spotted elsewhere makes it stand a little taller than the rest.

Click the 'Color Contacts' tab from the Home page and you'll see a colorful Flash application. As the site states, you can 'Choose between 20 different colors and 6 looks'.

Most sites I've seen either feature a color swatch, as in two-dimensional colored circles. It's hard to envision how the color or dimension would look like on a human eye.

This feature on LensShopper.com takes out not all, but some of the guess work. You click on a model, and then choose the featured colors or dimensions you want to try out on the model. Here are some fun looks I tried on some of the models! (All images are screenshots I took myself.)

Top of the page:

There are six models to choose from...

I chose Color Blends in 'Honey' for him:

I chose Color Blends in 'Sunrise' (2nd from right) for my favorite model. I didn't really care for the rest... (-__-) :

Dimensions 'Caribbean Aqua'....Gorgeous! Looks like her real eye color. The color and graphics this site uses are not too bad...but some of the colors look a little TOO digitalized...

Color Blends 'Pure Hazel'...I would wear this!

One-Day 'Green'...I'd be afraid to talk to him...looks like he might want to suck blood and sleep in coffins! But I think this is what green-colored contacts would really look like for those with hazel eyes.

One blatant and VERY IMPORTANT feature it's missing is ASIAN models...yes, us pale,black-haired folk like wearing unnatural eye colors too! A representative told me that they will be adding Asian models to the Flash Player...not sure when that'll happen, or if it ever will, but let's hope so!

I think this 'Color Studio' feature is a liiiiiiittle ethnically biased but definitely innovative and fun. I seriously tried ALL the colors and dimensions on ALL the models. The feature is free, all you need is Flash Player installed on your computer for it to work.

If you're a newcomer to colored contacts and want to see the wide range of colors available, this is for you. I'd say they need to add brand names on the feature, or how about a color guide, i.e. what contact colors would match those with pink or yellow-toned skin, dark hair, blonde hair, you get my drift.

I would only use this 'Color Studio' feature as a general guide before purchasing contacts. I suggest always trying on contacts at a store. Some contacts may NOT be the right shape for your eye, and if so, can be very harmful for the eye itself and vision. But if you already wear contacts and have a favorite brand, make sure you check out their coupons and stock up!